November 2009

Design Trend: Escape

With ecological concerns, political instability and economic uncertainty, people need to escape.

Escape can take many forms, from living vicariously through a Second Life avatar after work, to travelling to Dubai to experience the decadence of “Disneyland for Adults.”

Escape as we have seen it in 2009 is a mixture between the real and perceived environments that people live or wish they lived in - part dreamscape, part reality, part whimsy, part fantasy. Escape trends are a mixture between the soft reflections of simple color, combined with magical, immersive or vulgar representations. We use "vulgar" in the sense that colours land on top of each other in uncommon patterns and combinations, and in reference to advocating and promoting art and culture to the masses.

For Farmboy it also means lively, colourful and fanciful imagery, and landscapes nearly surreal in their appearance and execution.

Featured Medium • META

META is an exclusive composite material made of two primed sheets of aluminum. The core is made from recycled tires which contribute to a less material intensive and lighter product.

Printing directly to the aluminum surface creates a durable finished art piece that is ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications like pool areas, cabanas, spas, and high traffic areas.

Aside from its durability, META is a sleek looking product that always makes an impact.

To see all of Farmboy's mediums click here.

Farmboy in Abu Dhabi

Formula 1 here we come! Farmboy has been working around the clock with Aldar to get the 6 brand new hotels on Yas Island decked out with all sorts of incredible artwork in time for the November 1st race.

Yas Island is a project in Abu Dhabi, UAE that incorporates the best of motor sports with a luxury marina and 6 new hotels. Aldar’s Chairman handed down a mandate to fill the hotels with local artists’ work. Farmboy was chosen to consult on their overall art package, helping deliver 6 hotels full of national Emirati art, almost 5000 pieces including some amazing original works by Emirati artists Mohammed Kasem and Wasel Sawaf just to name a few.

The experience has been incredibly rewarding, especially building relationships with up and coming and established Emirati artists. As we get close to the finish line we are excited to be a part of such an ambitious and world class project and look forward to more partnerships in the UAE to come.

Featured Farmboy Artist: Doug Levy

Farmboy’s featured artist for November is Doug Levy, a 2003 graduate of Syracuse University.

Now based in Sharon, Massachusetts, Doug has taken a bit of an unconventional route to photography. Entirely self taught, he has spent the past six years umpiring professional baseball, a career full of 7:05 starts that has left plenty of time for photographing sunrises in the small towns minor league baseball calls home. His work has been featured in Photoshop User Magazine, and he is represented locally by Boston Art Inc. and Boston Coasters.

Farmboy Props

This month’s Farmboy Props go to Yvonne Grue of Gordon MacKenzie Architect Inc., seen here in her Farmboy T-shirt outside the New York Fashion Week tents in Bryant Park.

Get published! Email us your best Farmboy picture!

Farmboy Staff Picks: Meghan O'Connell

We asked Farmhand Meghan O'Connell, our image editor and one of our designers here at Farmboy, to choose one of her favourite images from our Stockyard collection and tell us what she likes about it.

Who is the artist?
Dean Zulich, DZP.600.00001

Why do you like it?
As our image editor at FBFA I find it literally impossible to choose my favourite image, but this is one that I'm really digging right now. I love the play on the depth of field and how inviting the colours are.

Perfect for our "Escape" theme this month!

As always, The Stockyard features some of the latest stunning
imagery from Farmboy Fine Arts to help you create custom artwork.

Farmboy Podcast

This month we are bringing a whole new flavour to the Farmboy Podcast with a special mix by DJ Degree One - recorded all in one take at a recent LIVE show!

Hailing from Victoria B.C. by way of Salt Spring Island, DJ Degree One has been a fundamental figure in the West Coast hip hop scene since 1990. Starting off in Victoria's first recognized hip hop group, 'Sound Advice' as an M.C., he then launched the original 'Spittin' Rhymes' radio show, broadcast on CFUV 101.9fm, a much listened to weekly radio show before the age of internet music! Degree made the move to rockin' the turntables out at parties and clubs in '97. Progressing through the years he also became Victoria's premier hip-hop concert promoter. He has shared the stage with some incredible DJ's and now plays over 150 shows a year! For upcoming events and shows go to Degree’s blog here.

Get it while it’s hot!

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Farmboy Quote of the Month:

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."
- Wayne Gretzky